Word to starchild, who observed that the formulation has changed somehow over the years. While I still love this fragrance, it isn't the absolute orgasmic delight that it was in the 80s and early 90s. I remember that my old boyfriend Pete saved his money to buy me a bottle of Beautiful one summer while we were doing the long-distance thing; I was in total heaven, and I smelled like total heaven, too. The relationship with Pete did not last, but my relationship with Beautiful did; in fact, I wore it on my wedding day to my husband. This afternoon I picked up a 2.5 ounce bottle at Costco; it was a total impulse buy. I can smell the scent as I type this and I sprayed it over six hours ago. It's still terrific, and I will wear it constantly, but it is no longer the scent that would lead me to stand for half and hour at the Lauder counter, inhaling Beautiful from the sample bottle.

Loved this when it came out in the 80s. For some reason, the smell was so much better back then; I had received a sample of a mini bottle with free lipstick to sweeten the pot;-) That smell was incredible. Today, it seems to have lost its appeal, but it is indeed recognizable. Something is lost in translation, though; seems to go stale on the skin. The formulation has changed over the years; it's missing something it had when it was first introduced. Maybe if they got it back. Still, the smell is pretty, but again, something is missing...

I too have worn this off and on for years, having got my first bottle from my mom when I was in my late teens (that was some time ago). It's unique and a bit sharp at first but dries down to a beautiful, very feminine, lingering scent. As a side note, I don't care for the shower gel, while it smells gorgeous, it doesn't seem to lather very well and left my skin very dry. I'm not a perfume expert obviously, I just know what I like and that's all that matters to me. If others don't like it for whatever reason, that is their prerogative, just as it is mine to like it. I think reviews should be based on the product itself, not responding to another's unfavourable review - their review is based on their personal taste and experience.

i got this in the 2.5oz. the scent is very strong but not cloying. it truly embodies the name-beautiful. it lasts a long time so a little spritz in the morning carries me through the entire day. it's the kind of scent that you can make into a signature one. it is memorable. this is one of EL perfumes that i will keep in my boudoir.

I have worn Beautiful for years, and I don't find it the least bit strong or overpowering. I'm confused when women say it is heavy and outdated, then happily spray on Pleasures Intense, Angel or Gucci Rush, which leaves a trail whenever I enter an office or elevator. I love these too, and I have them, but what is "heavy and dated" is in the eye of the beholder.

The increasing amount of asthma cases are mainly due to better diagnosis and early treatment, plus a thinning in the ozone layer and more pollution in our cities. Perfumes aren't going to increase allergies any more than pet ownership, or a prolonged ragweed season does. It makes sense to use Beautiful in moderation like any other perfume. This is a complex floral bouquet that suggests springtime, and it is a refreshing change from all the girly/sweet/tutti-fruiti/soap-and-water stuff out there.

Yet another floral fragrance that fights with my body chemistry and sits on top of my skin, annoying me, until I scrub it off. This scent is simply too strong for me. I agree with some of the previous posters that perhaps heady florals have had their day and are not appropriate for present day, especially considering the increase in allergy and asthma cases.

I wore this fragrance for a while in the mid-90's, but ultimately moved away from it because, like so many Lauder scents, it seemed to get too cloying and overpowering on me. Now, I am of the opinion that perfume today is intended for a slightly different purpose than the perfumes of the past (20, 30, 40 years ago). I think that today's scents are meant to be fresher, cleaner, so that it's difficult to pinpoint whether a woman is wearing perfume or whether you're catching the scent of soap and products -- a nice, clean mixture. (Or maybe that's just my take on an ideal fragrance.) In the past, I think, perfumes were intended to be noticed and recognized as perfumes -- they were stronger, more distinct. And I think that a lot of the older EL fragrances fall into this category, like Estee, Cinnabar, and Private Collection. I would say that Beautiful is sort of on the fringes of that old perfume style (and by "old" I don't mean "old lady" at all) and the newer, fresher style. It's a lovely fragrance, but is a little too heavy for me.